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Energy Challenge #2

Challenge Instructions

Do some creative accounting with your household energy usage!

Did you know?

Hot water heating makes up about 20-30% of the carbon emissions of an average home?

Get Started

Why?

Few people can relate to a "pound" of carbon, but most nearly all of us know the value of a dollar. Before diving into changes, my darlings, it'll be good to know where you started! But I don't care for the look of numbers much, so please turn it into a delightfully pretty picture!

How?

Find out how much your household spends every month on electricity and heat.

Come up with a creative way to represent those costs (i.e. with unique comparisons)

Make a picture of your creative household energy cost comparison and complete this challenge by posting it below!

Alternative

Do this "creative accounting" for your business, school, or a friend.

Resources

What You Could Do

Write a haiku about your energy bill.

Make a pie (not a pie chart, a pie) representing your energy expenditures.

Line up a bunch of glasses, fill them with different colored juices, and have each one represent a portion of your energy expenses.

Do some creative accounting with your household energy usage!

Here's a neat one minute animation about our country's coal consumption. It's a few years old but still relevant.

And here's how Vermont is doing in terms of energy consumption:

+ Vermont had the second-lowest per capita natural gas consumption of all states in 2012.+ Nuclear power accounted for 70% of the electricity generated within Vermont in 2013, a higher share than any other state.+ In 2013, 20% of Vermont’s net electricity generation was produced from conventional hydroelectric power.+ Vermont has a voluntary goal of generating 25% of electricity consumed in the state from renewable energy resources by 2017; the resources must have begun operating after 2004.+ In 2011, Vermont had the lowest carbon dioxide emissions from electricity generation among the 50 states.